Murang’a County Assembly intends to promote cultural tourism to expand and generate more revenue from the rich historical sites
Through a motion tabled by Sharlin Wambui, chairperson of youth, culture, and social services committee, the assembly noted the impact of modernization on Kikuyu culture and underscored the importance of preserving cultural sites.
“Murang’a County has significant cultural sites that can be turned into tourist attractions,” she said adding: ‘’ by promoting our heritage, we can offer unique tourism experiences and generate income for the county.”
The committee identified key cultural sites in the county including Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga in Gaturi Ward, Kiharu Constituency noting that despite the presence of these assets, the county lacked strategic planning and policy support for cultural tourism.
The committee recommended the creation of policies to protect and promote cultural sites prioritizing Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga and other cultural sites.
Gaturi ward MCA Gathee wa Njeri, supporting the motion, called for swift action to utilize cultural tourism in the next financial year and proposed a revenue distribution model with 70 percent of revenue collected going to the county and 30 percent to site custodians.
Nominated MCA Hannah Kamau, on her part suggested Mugoiri pottery yard, Wangu wa Makeri, and Karuri wa Gakure areas as additional cultural attractions.
By Purity Mugo and Augustine Mwangi